So faith in forgiveness saves us but we don't get the forgiveness without works?
The reason I like your response is: We get forgiveness without work but we don't grow up without working out our renewal in worship admiration of God. Once we have put off the old man and have put on the new man its no longer work and we enter into rest, when our whole heart is involved in God. And if you manage to put off your old clothes and put on God's clothes, without work, good on you you had an easy life and have not suffered much and hopefully you can love much just the same.
"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcomes, and keeps my works (will) unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations."
And if you had to work very hard to keep the will of God to the end and suffered much, good on you God doesn't have our trouble with language. As we walk in Love our spirit is joined with God's spirit and we communicate as one.
Its obvious that those under the law don't attain because of pride of achievement:
"If any man thinks he is something when he is nothing he deceives himself."
The trouble is not work or no work: Why do you think James had to address the Church?
There are those deceived on both sides of the fence, or is it that these are sitting on the fence as lukewarm.
"The end of the commandment is Love out of a pure heart and sincere Faith and a clean conscience."
Whether you have to work or not to get there may depend on how much money you have:
For those of you who don't parable: money is Faith. But doesn't mater how much money you have if you don't invest in Love. "Faith works by Love." During the first year of marriage it's not considered work as Love is its own reward. I believe God made it possible for us to remain in this state of Grace by the Holy Spirit, but if you have to work like an eagle exerting all your strength to reach the updraft before you can soar in God effortlessly (in prayer and fellowship of the Spirit) keep that between you and God, as talking about it only causes you to lose your reward, lose direction of the updraft and having to start over again to work out renewal. Also if you find the Lord leading you down from the mountaintop to work with Him in the valley, ("if we suffer with Him, we shall rule with Him.") don't take things in your hands again to think of it as work and imposing this on others, again your losing your reward.
"Count it all joy, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the Will (work) of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." You will soar again effortlessly when your Joy is renewed.